As a caveat I should say that psychotherapy research is a pretty big morass of ego and controversy, and ppl kind of stab around in the dark re: what works. Mechanisms of action is sort of a new thing to be thinking about.

Therefore although I am fairly well read and have practical experience, I couldn't call myself an "expert" in the field. I'm really more of an "expert" on integrated healthcare/behavioral medicine because that is what I research and practice most.

My guess is that Bullshido tends to have a crowd that perhaps needs therapy but doesn't actually pursue therapy (hey, I fit into that category and I'm a therapist).

Anyway, I'm tired of debating therapy crap with other graduate students. You might be aware that there are lots of different types of "psychotherapy," the two dominant broad categories in the US currently being PSYCHOANALYSIS where you explore your inner world to gain insight into things that drive you and COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL THERAPY, where you complete specific exercises in order to reduce symptoms.

I'm aware that this sort of thread might be a stupid train-wreck here, but **** it, I want to see what happens.

What are the prevailing Bully opinions on psychotherapy in general, and the relative merits of psychoanalysis specifically?

If anyone is interested in some current thinking on this the journal AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGIST published a pretty good argument in 2010 by an analyst named Shedler.

I know of people whose opinion I respect who say they have been helped by it. I found a book based on cognitive-behavioural techniques very helpful in stopping smoking. I remain a little suspicious about the profession as a whole, because I am aware of several real-life cases of therapists whose business model appears to be based on encouraging insecure clients to become dependent on them.

I know of people whose opinion I respect who say they have been helped by it. I found a book based on cognitive-behavioural techniques very helpful in stopping smoking. I remain a little suspicious about the profession as a whole, because I am aware of several real-life cases of therapists whose business model appears to be based on encouraging insecure clients to become dependent on them.

I think that you're right about that Cullion, with regards to some ethical issues in the field. It also takes a lot of balls to be a therapist (e.g. I can help people with their problems!) so I think the field may tend to attract individuals with their own issues with neediness on occasion.

Can I inquire as to the book you found helpful for smoking cessation? I do CBT for quitting smoking with patients at a hospital and am always looking for resources to recommend. Interestingly, in the therapy model that I work from (Primary Care Psychology/Behavioral Medicine) we prefer that people transition into a self-help sort of lifestyle as quickly as possible. The brief counseling we try to practice draws from a population-based help-a-lot-of-people-a-little-bit philosophy.